Permits will allow plumbers access to city water meter boxes

Published: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 7:22 p.m.

In an effort to unstop a clog of restricted access to certain city water systems, the city of Hendersonville is passing on keys for meter boxes to trained, licensed plumbers for a limited time.

The City Council approved a permitting procedure that will allow city staff to train licensed plumbers on how to safely handle the equipment inside small meter boxes that will remain locked to the general public. Insured plumbers will be granted a key to the boxes after taking a brief training course associated with a one-time fee of $50.

“In the past, city ordinance has prohibited anyone but city staff from accessing all meter boxes. Since deploying the city’s new automated meter reading system, including locking meter box lids, the city has realized how many of our customers were relying on access to these meter boxes in order to turn on and turn off their water service line to their home or business,” said Utilities Director Lee Smith. “In an effort to expedite access for our customers to these small water services, the city has amended its ordinance to allow staff to authorize others to access these services."

Training will be required of every licensed plumber who is granted access and those with keys are encouraged to install outside shut-off valves on the systems they work on to keep the lines accessible.

Smith said that gaining more outside valves was the purpose of the program. The city has been installing customer-side shut-off valves on new systems for the past six years, but with about 30,000 meters in the city’s jurisdiction, a lot of the systems remain inaccessible without city support.

Jack Summey, president of Summey Plumbing & Heating Inc., said the new program “cuts down on wait time. We’re appreciative that the city has taken this step.”

He is encouraging customers to seek estimates for the costs of the outside valves and to have them installed while the program lasts. Although the exact end date of the program has not been set in stone, it is penciled to run through Dec. 1, 2014. Smith said the city will likely review the program and its participation over the next 15 months to determine whether or not to extend it.

Summey said that when his last man takes the training course, they will have 19 licensed plumbers with access to certain boxes.

Keys granted to plumbers in the permitting process will unlock the boxes of small meters housing three-quarter-inch and 1-inch lines that typically feed residential homes and small businesses. The permitting program will not allow unguarded access to boxes of larger meters.

Plumbers will be required to pay $10 each for any extra keys, in addition to the $50 permitting fee.

Councilman Steve Caraker, who works as a licensed plumber, anticipated the new access would be welcome among his colleagues.

It can be frustrating, he said, “if you’ve got a mainline leak on a Saturday night and you’ve got to wait 45 minutes” to have the lines shut off.

The program also aims to keep track of which meter boxes are installed with customer-side shut-off valves — an extra duty for city staff who may have to follow up with a pool of up to 83 licensed plumbers in the Hendersonville area.

Smith said every plumber in the program is required to submit monthly reports showing which meters, if any, they accessed to install valves during the process.

All plumbers are required to carry liability insurance or provide surety bonds to insure the city’s equipment while they are granted access.

<p>In an effort to unstop a clog of restricted access to certain city water systems, the city of Hendersonville is passing on keys for meter boxes to trained, licensed plumbers for a limited time.</p><p>The City Council approved a permitting procedure that will allow city staff to train licensed plumbers on how to safely handle the equipment inside small meter boxes that will remain locked to the general public. Insured plumbers will be granted a key to the boxes after taking a brief training course associated with a one-time fee of $50.</p><p>“In the past, city ordinance has prohibited anyone but city staff from accessing all meter boxes. Since deploying the city's new automated meter reading system, including locking meter box lids, the city has realized how many of our customers were relying on access to these meter boxes in order to turn on and turn off their water service line to their home or business,” said Utilities Director Lee Smith. “In an effort to expedite access for our customers to these small water services, the city has amended its ordinance to allow staff to authorize others to access these services."</p><p>Training will be required of every licensed plumber who is granted access and those with keys are encouraged to install outside shut-off valves on the systems they work on to keep the lines accessible.</p><p>Smith said that gaining more outside valves was the purpose of the program. The city has been installing customer-side shut-off valves on new systems for the past six years, but with about 30,000 meters in the city's jurisdiction, a lot of the systems remain inaccessible without city support.</p><p>Jack Summey, president of Summey Plumbing & Heating Inc., said the new program “cuts down on wait time. We're appreciative that the city has taken this step.”</p><p>He is encouraging customers to seek estimates for the costs of the outside valves and to have them installed while the program lasts. Although the exact end date of the program has not been set in stone, it is penciled to run through Dec. 1, 2014. Smith said the city will likely review the program and its participation over the next 15 months to determine whether or not to extend it.</p><p>Summey said that when his last man takes the training course, they will have 19 licensed plumbers with access to certain boxes.</p><p>Keys granted to plumbers in the permitting process will unlock the boxes of small meters housing three-quarter-inch and 1-inch lines that typically feed residential homes and small businesses. The permitting program will not allow unguarded access to boxes of larger meters.</p><p>Plumbers will be required to pay $10 each for any extra keys, in addition to the $50 permitting fee.</p><p>Councilman Steve Caraker, who works as a licensed plumber, anticipated the new access would be welcome among his colleagues.</p><p>It can be frustrating, he said, “if you've got a mainline leak on a Saturday night and you've got to wait 45 minutes” to have the lines shut off.</p><p>The program also aims to keep track of which meter boxes are installed with customer-side shut-off valves — an extra duty for city staff who may have to follow up with a pool of up to 83 licensed plumbers in the Hendersonville area.</p><p>Smith said every plumber in the program is required to submit monthly reports showing which meters, if any, they accessed to install valves during the process.</p><p>All plumbers are required to carry liability insurance or provide surety bonds to insure the city's equipment while they are granted access.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>